Nippon Steel & Sumikin Metal Products Raises Powder Capacity in China

Nippon steel & Sumikin Metal Products announced on Monday the firm’s subsidiary in China, Shanghai Nikken Dazhong Refining Steel Metarial increased production capacity of continuous casting powder to 20,000 tonnes per year from previous 8,000 tonnes by adding a new splay dryer to the existent one. The capex is 14 million yuan (slightly less than 200 million yen). The firm plans to meet the demand for continuous casting powder used for high quality steels in China while to supply the products to Asian market including Taiwan and India.

Continuous casting powder is added inside casting molds as operation stabilizer and agent for quality improvement and antioxidation of slabs and molten steels. The subsidiary started introduction works of an additional splay dyer in June 2010 and completed the construction on 7 April, 2011. The splay dryer produces granulation type powder with average 500 micrometers diameter.

Chinese crude steel production is increasing to 600 million tonnes per year Demand for high grade steel products is especially increasing in the country such for stainless steel, plate or high quality steel sheet adopted to automobiles. Demand for continuous casting powder is expected to increase to 200,000-240,000 tonnes per year. The subsidiary’s current sales are approximately 700 million yen per year.